News14 May 2008


Howe and Powell launch 2008 edition of Rome meet - ÅF Golden League

FacebookTwitterEmail

Mike Powell and Andrew Howe at the Kinder+Sport Golden Gala launch (© FIDAL)

Reigning European Long Jump champion Andrew Howe and IAAF Ambassador Mike Powell, the retired holder of the World record for the Long Jump were the special guests at the launch of the promotion of the Kinder+Sport Golden Gala, the third leg of the 2008 ÅF Golden League.
 
The launch was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Rome which will be the official headquarters of the premier Italian meeting which this year is scheduled to take place on Friday 11 July.

“It’s very exciting for our sport to have such athletes”

Howe took the opportunity to meet Powell, the athlete he has always dreamt to emulate since he was a child.

“Last year it was a big honour to receive the (World Championships) silver medal from Mike in Osaka. I have always dreamt to approach his World record. I set this goal as a challenge for the future,” said Howe. 

Howe and World champion Irving Saladino from Panama who captured the gold medal from the Italian star in a dramatic last round of the World Championships final in Osaka with a 8.57m leap are regarded by many as the jumpers who could threaten Powell’s World record in the near future.

Powell, the World record holder with his legendary 8.95m leap at the World Championships in Tokyo 1991, expressed his admiration for the Italian hope who is the reigning European outdoor and indoor record holder and last year’s World silver medallist in Osaka with his 8.47m Italian record.
 
“Andrew is a very talented athlete. His mother Renée is a great coach,” said Powell. “They (Howe and Saladino) are different athletes. Saladino is more a leaper, while Andrew has more sprint. I gave him some advice in the past. It’s very exciting for our sport to have such athletes,” said Powell, who is now a coach of some talented athletes including Rhonda Watkins from Trinidad & Tobago, Chris Noffke from Australia and Travell Quinley from the USA at the famous UCLA University. 

Howe is currently building up for his upcoming summer debut for what promises to be another thrilling season.

“I will kick off my season on 1 June in Berlin, the first meeting of the 2008 ÅF Golden League season. I will take part in all six Golden League meetings,” confirmed Howe.

“Rome is a special place for me”

The Golden Gala has always played a big role in the career of Howe, who hails from the town of Rieti, which is just one hour and a half from the eternal city. It was in Rome that he emerged as a great international star in 2006 when he finished third with 8.41m. Last year he won with 8.12 in a competitition which was ruined by the accident which involved the unlucky French jumper Salim Sdiri who was hit by a javelin.

“The Olympic Stadium has always been a special place for me. It has always been my dream to compete in the big stadium of Rome in front of my home fans. I hope I will be able to entartain them this year.”

The Golden Gala and the other ÅF Golden League meetings will be an important test in his build-up to the Olympic Games in Beìjing.

“This year I am more relaxed than in 2007. I am trying to enjoy myself in training. I know that I can do better than last year. At the Olympic Games I will probably need to jump further than 8.47m to win a medal.”
 
“I have good speed but I am aware that I need to improve my technique.  The Olympic Games are the most important competition in my career. I hope it will contribute to peace in the world. I have alway dreamt to take part in the Olympic Games. When I competed at the Olympic Games in Athens I was the ‘new kid on the block’. I was suffering from a microfracture after my double World junior titles in the 200 metres and in the long jump in Grosseto,” recalls Howe who was eliminated in the Olympic 200 metres quarter finals after a promising 20.55 in the heats.

“The Olympic Games will be very competive. Apart from Saladino I think that Ghodfrey Khotso Mokoena (World Indoor champion in the Long Jump) will be one of my biggest rivals this year.”

Isinbayeva, Vlasic, Wariner, Jepkosgei

During the launch of the Golden Gala, which celebrates its 28th edition in July, Gigi D’Onofrio, the meeting director, announced the first big names invited to compete in the Olympic Stadium.

“We have already reached an agreement with Yelena Isinbayeva who announced that she will start her summer campaign in Rome.”

“Blanka Vlasic will compete against Italian star Antonietta Di Martino in a great High Jump competition, and for Andrew Howe the Golden Gala will one of the highlights of the season.”

“World champions Jeremy Wariner and Janeth Jepkosgei will compete in all six Golden League meetings.”

“We are also doing our best to assemble a great sprint race which lives up to the tradition of the Golden Gala. The main problem will be the clash between the Golden Gala and many national championships. Moreover the US Olympic Trials will finish on 6 July,” confirmed D’Onofrio.
        
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

Pages related to this article
Disciplines
Loading...